Ade Adepitan is rumoured to be in advanced talks for I’m a Celebrity 2026, with The Sun reporting that ITV producers are looking at ways to adapt the camp for accessibility. If confirmed, he would be the first wheelchair user ever to take part in the show. ITV has not confirmed the line-up and says all names are speculation until the official announcement, expected around mid-November 2026. This article tracks the rumours and covers his remarkable biography.
From Paralympic bronze to two decades of television presenting, Ade Adepitan has spent his career breaking new ground for disabled representation on British television. A jungle appearance would be the latest milestone. Here is everything we know.
Is Ade Adepitan Doing I’m a Celebrity 2026?
The Sun reported in July 2026 that Adepitan was in “advanced negotiations” with ITV, with producers keen to adapt the camp to make it work for him. A source said producers believe “his infectious larger-than-life personality would make him a perfect campmate”. Radio Times and Capital FM repeated the story in their September and October line-up roundups.
ITV has not confirmed anything, telling outlets that “any names suggested for I’m a Celebrity are just speculation”. Until the official announcement, his participation remains a rumour, though the accessibility angle has made it one of the most talked-about casting stories of the year.
Who Is Ade Adepitan?
Ade Adepitan is a 53-year-old British television presenter and former Paralympic athlete. He contracted polio as an infant, which damaged his legs and led him to use a wheelchair. After moving to the United Kingdom, he became a wheelchair basketball player and won a bronze medal with the Great Britain team at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
He went on to become one of the first physically disabled television presenters in the UK, with a presenting career spanning more than 20 years, including BBC and Channel 4 travel documentaries and Paralympics coverage.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ade Adepitan |
| Age | 53 |
| Known for | Paralympic bronze 2004, TV presenter |
| Sport | Wheelchair basketball |
| I’m a Celebrity 2026 | Rumoured, unconfirmed |
Why the Jungle Rumour Matters: Representation
If Adepitan enters the jungle, it would be a genuine television milestone: the first wheelchair user in the show’s history. Disabled campmates have taken part before, including Paralympic javelin athlete Hollie Arnold in 2020, but adapting the camp itself for a wheelchair user would be new territory for the production.
Adepitan has spent his career normalising disability on mainstream television, from travel documentaries to live Paralympics presenting. A jungle stint would put that representation in front of one of the biggest audiences on British television.
Ade Adepitan Net Worth
No credible net-worth figure exists for Ade Adepitan. The pages that rank for net-worth queries are thin, years-old profile sites, several carrying factual errors, including one claiming he won “gold medals in wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, and dance” and another listing him as 50. His income comes from two decades of television presenting, documentary work and speaking engagements. Readers should treat any exact figure found online with scepticism.
Ade Adepitan: Presenting Career Highlights
Adepitan’s television career spans more than two decades, making him one of the most experienced disabled presenters in British broadcasting. His travel documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 took him across continents, often exploring how disability is understood in different cultures. His Paralympics coverage made him a familiar face every four years, combining athletic insight with presenting warmth.
What distinguishes his presenting is perspective. As a former elite athlete who uses a wheelchair, he brings lived experience to stories about sport, travel and disability, rather than observing them from outside. That authenticity is exactly what jungle producers are reportedly buying.
The Camp Accessibility Question
The most interesting aspect of the jungle rumour is practical: how would the camp work? The Sun reported that producers are looking at ways to adapt the camp for accessibility, from sleeping arrangements to trial design. If it happens, it would be a genuine production milestone and a powerful statement about inclusion on mainstream television.
Disabled campmates have competed before, but adapting the physical environment itself would be new. Adepitan’s larger-than-life personality, cited by the reported source, suggests producers see him thriving rather than merely coping.
A Career of Firsts
- 2004: Paralympic bronze in wheelchair basketball, Athens.
- 2000s: Became one of the UK’s first physically disabled television presenters.
- Two decades: BBC and Channel 4 documentaries and Paralympics coverage.
- 2026: Rumoured for I’m a Celebrity, potentially the first wheelchair campmate.
Ade’s Documentaries: Where to Start
New viewers discovering Adepitan through the jungle rumours have a rich back catalogue to explore. His travel documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 stand out for their curiosity and warmth, often examining how disability is perceived in different cultures. His Paralympics presenting, spanning multiple Games, showcases his authority as a former athlete.
What runs through all of it is a refusal to be defined by a single story. He is an athlete, a traveller, a presenter and an advocate, and his work moves between those roles with ease.
The Polio Story
Adepitan contracted polio as an infant, which damaged his legs and led him to use a wheelchair. He has spoken about his childhood and his family’s move to the United Kingdom with characteristic directness, neither minimising the challenges nor letting them dominate the narrative. That balance, honesty without self-pity, is central to his public appeal.
What the Jungle Trials Would Test
Adepitan’s wheelchair basketball career gives him elite upper-body strength and a competitor’s mentality, both genuine assets in Bushtucker Trials. Trials often involve heights, water and confined spaces, and his Paralympic experience of performing under extreme pressure would serve him well.
The more interesting question is how producers adapt trials designed for standing contestants. The reported accessibility planning suggests they are taking the challenge seriously, and a well-designed adaptive trial could become one of the series’ most talked-about moments.
The Charity Dimension
Beyond broadcasting, Adepitan has been involved in charitable work connected to disability and sport, using his profile to open doors for others. His advocacy is woven into his presenting rather than separated from it, which gives it authenticity. A jungle appearance would extend that advocacy to the biggest mainstream audience of his career.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ade Adepitan confirmed for I’m a Celebrity 2026?
No. He is rumoured to be in advanced talks, with The Sun, Radio Times and Capital FM covering the story. ITV has not confirmed the line-up.
Would Ade Adepitan be the first wheelchair user on I’m a Celebrity?
Yes. If confirmed, he would be the first contestant to use a wheelchair in the show’s history.
What did Ade Adepitan win at the Paralympics?
He won a bronze medal in wheelchair basketball with Great Britain at the 2004 Paralympics in Athens.
How old is Ade Adepitan?
He is 53.
Why does Ade Adepitan use a wheelchair?
He contracted polio as an infant, which damaged his legs and led him to use a wheelchair.
What TV shows has Ade Adepitan presented?
He has presented travel documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4 and covered the Paralympic Games, in a presenting career spanning more than 20 years.